Philadelphia, or, a treatise of brotherly-love Shewing, that we must love all men: love the wicked in general: love our enemies: that the godly must especially love another: and the reasons of each particular love. The manner of our mutual love; the dignity, necessity, excellenc, and usefulness of brotherly-love. That the want of love, where love is due, is hatred, shewed in divers particulars. The greatness of the sin of malice and hatred; with the reasons why wicked men hate the saints: together with cautions against those sins that break the bond of love. Many weighty questions discussed, and divers cases cleared. By William Gearing, minister of the word.

CHAP. IX.

IN the prosecution of this point, I will han∣dle these four Conclusions: 1. I shall shew, That we must love all men. 2. That Godly men must love even the wicked. 3. That Godly men must love even their very Enemies. 4. That the Godly must especially love one a∣nother.

1. That we must love all men.

Here first, Let us observe these Differences of Love.

1. There is a Love of Pity and Compassion. This Love is due to all men, good and bad who are in misery. This will make thee weep with them that weep, not shedding the tears of a Crocodile, as Ishmael the Son of Nethani∣ah did, Jer. 41.6. But rather of our Saviour, who not only raised Lazarus, but also wept o∣ver him, to make it appear how he loved him. Joh. 11.35. The Jews said, Oh how be loved

him! He that is a man of much natural affecti∣on, will be kindly affectioned with Brotherly-Love, for where there is no Bowels of Com∣passion, there can be no true love either of Man or of God.

True Love to any is manifested, chiefly to their Souls. Dost thou see men to go on in sin, and in a desperate neglect, not to regard the Salvation of their own Souls; then mourn for them, being moved with the consideration, into what misery these wretched Creatures are like to plunge themselves in. Seest thou a vain Sensualist spend his days in the eager pur∣suit of carnal delights, never considering his latter end, mourn for his Sorrows hereafter. Seest thou a Neighbour drunk, or hearest thy Friend swear and curse, let thy heart pity him. Alas poor Soul! What will he do when Christ cometh to judgment? Poor wretch! methinks I see him weeping and wailing, and wringing his hands, although now he spend his days in mirth and jollity. This Love was in Christ towards the wicked Jews, Luk. 19.41. For even in his Triumph, when the people was making great joy, he then wept over Jerusa∣lem. This was the burden of his Lamentati∣on; O Jerusalem, that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy peace; but now they are hidden from thine eyes. O Jerusa∣lem, thou that now triumphest, I cannot but

weep, when I consider how the things of thy peace are going, and thy fearful destruction is hanging over thee; the sword of God's ven∣geance is drawn out against; thee. So when thou seest any wicked man, merry and jovial, pity him, O poor wretch! Thou that art so mer∣ry now, O that thou knewest the things that belong unto thy peace, before they be hid from thee: I do even see how the sword of Divine Wrath hangeth over thine head, and thy Dam∣nation slumbereth not.

This Love of Compassion was in David, Ri∣vers of tears (saith he) run down mine eyes, be∣cause men keep not thy Law. I mourn when I see wicked men to be jolly in their sins. So St. Paul saith, There are some of whom I tell you weeping, that are enemies to the Cross of Christ, whose end is destruction.

II. There is a Love of mercy and help, due to all in their Afflictions. This is plainly shew∣ed by the parable of the good Samaritan. The wounded man was not his Companion; he found him in misery by chance as he was passing by the way-side, whether he were Jew, or Gentile, or Stranger, this Samaritan did com∣fort him, relieve him, and took great care to recover him. See what use our Saviour made of this, Go, do thou likewise the same. Dost thou see a man in misery, be not like the Priest, and the merciless Levite, but be a good Samaritan

to him, speak comfortably to him; and let thy heart joyn with thy tongue, and thy hand with thy heart; be as ready to do good, as to wish well to him, that he may bless God in thee, and for thee. If thou canst not do all thou wouldst, yet be willing to do all thou canst, and where thou canst do no more, turn thy wishes into prayers; and from prayer conclude for those that are Godly, My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in Glory by Jesus Christ.

Suppose a wicked man is in misery, and it is in thy power to help him; yet give something humanitati, if not homini. The Sun shineth up∣on the good and the bad; the Clouds water both, the Creatures tell thee what thou shouldst do. A good man (saith Solomon) is merciful to his beast; then much more, will a good man be merciful to a man in misery. In the Law God ordained, that if a man did see his Ene∣n••mies Oxe or Asse in a ditch or pit, he should help him out. Doth God take care for Oxen and for Asses, and not much more for men? Re∣member, Dives is tormented in Hell for his hard-heartedness towards distressed Laza∣rus.

III. The Love of Courtesie and Gentleness. We owe Kindness and Gentleness to all men; This is a Fruit of the Spirit. A surly, dogged, harsh temper is unbeseeming a Christian: such persons are more fit to be Monks and Ancho∣rets

than Christians. God himself is said to be a God of a great Kindness; so must his children be. A gentle Spirit puts forth it self to all gentle and curteous behaviour; drawing affection and delight from others. See how sweetly our Saviour carried himself towards all. When the man came in, not having the Wedding-garment, Friend, (saith he) how camest thou in hither? It is Parabolical indeed, but yet our Saviour sheweth, with what gen∣tleness, courtesie and kindness, he carried him∣self.

Some there are indeed that turn Love into Complements, and affected Phrases and Gesti∣culations; that will make great Protestations of Love and Kindness, when their heart is not with you, Prov. 23.7. Such a one will say, he is your servant, at your command, he will kiss your hand, or the hemm of your Garment, but it is with the kiss of a Joab or a Judas; he car∣rieth two Faces under one Hood: but the true Christian is little in Circumstances, but striveth to abound in the Substance of Love. David and Jonathan contended together in weeping, not in crying [Your Servant Sir] in real friend∣ship, not in empty words. It cannot be deni∣ed, but some Ceremonies, that is, outward Expression in the very Gestures and Counte∣naunces of Friends will thrust in with true Love; not so much for Love-sake, as for re∣spect,

the witness and acknowledgment of de∣sert, which is the Ground, Nurse and Guardian of Love: Therefore Love makes no difference between affected Complements, and down∣right rudeness, but shunneth both alike, that it may neither wast Complements, nor neglect that respect which Civility, Modesty and Reli∣gion require, as a part of the debt of Love. But to be a Master of the Art of Ceremonies (as one saith) and to assert such a necessity of them, as to exceed in their use; as it favoureth not of a simple sincere ingenuous Spirit, so it sets the Teeth of true Love on edg: The Chri∣stian's main care should be to love, not in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth.

IV. There is the Love of Familiarity and Friendship. This we owe not to all, but to the Saints. As the School-men say of God, There is Amor in Deo, erga omnes, non amicitia, God loveth all, but God saith not to every one, You are my Friends, but only to the Godly. In this respect he saith, Esau have I hated, Jacob have I loved; Jacob is my Friend, whom I love with my special Love. So there may be in the Godly, Love to the wicked, but not Friend∣ship and Familiarity. The wise man saith, Walk not with the frowa d, for thou thy self-shalt learn frowardness; Wicked men will defile the Godly, by intimate and constant Communion. Israel must not marry with Ashdod; no Canaa∣nite

or Gibeonite must be of the Communion of Saints. What Fellowship hath a Member of Christ with the Children of Belial? Yet I shall shew you how we are to love the wicked, here∣after.